When the show aired its first episode in 1999, the straight-talking panellist and former actress was sceptical that it would last but said she “never wanted to be vanilla”

Nadia Sawalha has hit back at critics of her on Loose Women.

The straight-shooting presenter has worked has a panellist on the ITV show since its humble beginnings 25 years ago and admits. And she admits, by the nature of the show, she won’t appeal to everyone.

The former Celebrity Masterchef winner told Bella: “”With a big audience, you’ve got to accept that some of them aren’t going to like you. It doesn’t bother me, I just do what feels right.

“I never wanted to be vanilla. I’ve never wanted everybody to like me because I’m made up of lots of different things.”

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Nadia was sceptical that the show would last, believing everyone would “get sick” of “whatever it is that we’re saying”.

Nadia Sawalha and her husband, Mark Adderley, attend the opening night of Nina Raine’s ‘Consent’ at Harold Pinter Theatre ( 

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Tabatha Fireman/Getty Images)

In an interview with Bella, Nadia, who was an actress on EastEnders, Casualty and The Bill, said Kaye (Adams) asked her: “How long does a woman have a conservation with her friends?” Nadia, who was reminiscing about that first episode, said she “was right”.

“We’re at our best on Loose Women when we take a story and put it through our own lives. How do we feel about stuff rather than simply reporting on it. I personally like it best when we’re having a lot of fun as well. I love it when we’re having a bit of silliness – those are my favourite shows.”

Never afraid to speak her mind, Nadia and her husband, Mark Adderley, lashed out at Rachel Riley earlier this year over an “apology” issued after accusations of promoting Islamophobia. In another recent controversial moment, the presenter shocked fans with a fiery row with Denise Welch over Harry and Meghan.

Andrea with her former Loose Women co-stars ( 
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Getty Images)
And Nadia was recently warned she would be “be in trouble” after blurting out an expletive, with the show then descending into chaos. Her recent comments came amid an ongoing health campaign calling for a cancer drug, known as Enhertu, to be made available on the NHS.

She joined the campaign with her friend, Hannah Gardner, and dubbed the drug a “game-changer” for women with secondary breast cancer. Nadia also discussed her struggles with food and how she had a “terrible relationship” with her body despite her body positive views, which have garnered appreciation from fans.